LATHAM, N.Y. — Sunmark Federal Credit Union is bringing itsmembers together to help combat expected high energy costs thiswinter.

The credit union has launched its members helping membersprogram, which includes an interactive networking Web site(www.memberhelpingmember.org). The Web site is a blog-type forummonitored by the credit union where members can go to ask questionsand exchange ideas on how to help lower fuel costs.

“We started to see that this was going to be a very hard winterfor people, and we didn't want the program to end at just ourinvolvement,” said David Weinstein, vice president of marketing atSunmark.

The site went active in mid-Sept. and has already drawn a fewresponses even though Weinstein said that they have not yetlaunched their in-branch marketing. One member said that he wasglad to see a community-based Web site and asked what others weredoing right now to save on heating costs for the winter. Anothermember used the site to ask for information on putting a wood-firedboiler in his home to cut down heating oil costs.

“In my opinion people are more reactive to energy conservationwhen there's a dollar sign attached to it, so we want people to seethat conservation can be a cost saver,” Weinstein said.

Sunmark started to develop the idea of the networking site inlate July and wrapped up the project in six weeks. Weinsteinattributed the fast turn around time on the project to having anin-house creative services team.

Sunmark will also have an employee monitor and prescreen theblog posts before they go live.

As part of the members helping members program, Sunmark is alsooffering a special rate on auto loans for members who upgrade theircars to models that are more fuel efficient. Weinstein said thatthey first offered the special rate on the auto loan for justhybrid models but then realized they would not get the responsethey wanted by just offering it for hybrids.

Members who register for members helping members will also beallowed to register to win five free, certified home energy auditsfrom Zerodraft. Zerodraft provides energy efficiency treatments andprojects that lower utility costs. They do home energy audits thatWeinstein said are detailed evaluations that sometimes last threehours and valued the audit at $350. Sunmark will also provide freehome energy kits for qualified members that are having difficultymeeting heating costs.

Sunmark also held an energy day seminar that Rich Meddaugh,public relations specialist, said was conducted before a packedhouse. The credit union had 30 members attend the Saturday morningsession along with Assemblyman George Amedore (R-Rotterdam).

Weinstein said that many members that attended the seminarexpressed concern about the upcoming winter and didn't know whereto turn for help.

“Our goal in this is to create a network between members. Wehave some members that are philanthropists and some that aren't andwe want to connect them. We want this to be a value add for peopleto see that they can join any financial institution, but not everyfinancial institutions will help you with your finances and helpyou figure out how to cut costs,” Weinstein said.

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